Latest On Jets’ QB Decision
While the Giants and Broncos provide unique variables in the top five, the Browns and Jets are essentially committed to drafting a quarterback. And the latter’s preference hierarchy appears to have evolved since the start of the pre-draft process.
When the Jets traded up from No. 6 to No. 3, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv notes the common line of thinking was there was “no way” Sam Darnold would potentially be available to them. Now, the Jets are planning to visit with Darnold after previously holding off on doing so.
Mike Maccagnan said he’d be open to trading up, but Vacchiano hears the Browns are not expected to be interested in a trade at No. 1 and the Giants — despite being in a different conference — “absolutely” won’t accommodate the Jets in a high-stakes trade like this. While the Giants have been linked to Darnold for a bit now, the Jets would probably take the USC-developed passer if he fell to No. 3, per Vacchiano.
At this research period’s outset, the Jets held Josh Rosen in higher regard than they did Baker Mayfield. Now, Vacchiano notes the team has warmed up to the Oklahoma statistical dynamo and points out the buzz has the Jets favoring Mayfield over Rosen.
Plenty of indications in recent weeks support the Jets being thorough about Mayfield, while Rosen has probably been the least discussed quarterback out of the big four. Vacchiano writes the Jets have still spent plenty of time studying Rosen, the building momentum surrounding Mayfield notwithstanding. They visited with the UCLA alum this week. However, if the Jets do end up choosing Rosen over Mayfield, this will qualify as an incredibly successful smokescreen operation.
Bryant Would Have Been Open To Pay Cut
The Cowboys dominated the Friday NFL news cycle by releasing Dez Bryant and doing so without offering the acclaimed wide receiver a chance to stay with the team at a reduced rate. That move may have been amendable to Bryant, despite the receiver’s previous comments not appearing to indicate as such.
A first-time free agent, Bryant said in an interview with the NFL Network’s Jane Slater (Twitter link) he would have accepted a pay cut if the Cowboys offered. Dallas did not offer to keep Bryant on a lesser salary. The 29-year-old wideout expected the team to propose a pay cut. While it’s unclear how much of a salary reduction Bryant would have accepted, the Cowboys weren’t interested and made the odd decision to release their all-time leader in touchdown receptions more than a month into free agency.
As part of the five-year, $70MM extension he signed just before the 2015 franchise tag deadline, Bryant was scheduled to make $12.5MM in base salary and comprise $16.5MM of Dallas’ cap this season.
The juncture of this cut came largely because Jerry Jones has long had an affinity for the mercurial pass-catcher, and it took convincing for the team’s top decision-maker to sign off on a release, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).
“Jerry Jones, he loved me to death, and I loved him too,” Bryant told Slater. “I honestly believe in my heart that this was a hard decision for him. But when it’s five, six guys at a table against one guy, you got to do it.”
Bryant is not making it a secret he’d like to join one of the Cowboys’ top rivals, but ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen reports (on Twitter) a landing in Philadelphia, Washington or New York does not look especially promising at the moment. The Redskins are not believed to be interested in the ninth-year player.
“Being in the division is a huge possibility it’s something that I want,” Bryant said in the interview (Twitter link). “It’s personal. I’m tired of being the scapegoat and I’m going to keep proving that on and off the field.”
It will obviously be more difficult for Bryant to command the type of money he could have had the Cowboys made this move a month ago, but he’s likely to generate some interest soon.
Giants Notes: Collins, Draft
- The New York media market could play a factor in the Giants‘ decision on whether to use the No. 2 overall pick on quarterback, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. If Big Blue drafts a signal-caller, fans and reporters alike will likely be clamoring for that passer to be inserted into the starting lineup if Eli Manning falters. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the Giants shouldn’t consider a quarterback, they should only do so if general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. have no doubts about the prospect, argues Florio. Sitting at No. 2, New York will have their choice of three of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Allen (provided Cleveland uses the first overall pick on a quarterback, as expected).
Landon Collins fractured his arm last December, and the injury is not healing as well as the Giants safety had hoped, reprots Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter links). As such, Collins is now considering another operation to further repair the break. Luckily, a procedure to plate the break would only recover a six-to-eight week recovery period, meaning Collins would likely be available for training camp, per Garafolo, who cautions that while surgery is expected, no final decision has been made. Collins, who earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth in 2017, is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Giants Unlikely To Trade Odell Beckham Jr.
It sounds like Odell Beckham Jr. will be staying put. Teams around the league no longer believe the Giants are going to be trading the wide receiver either before or during the NFL draft, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Earlier this offseason, teams believed there was a real chance the Giants would trade the young superstar. 
Beckham reported to the G-Men recently for voluntary activities and the team now believes that he is fully on board with the new regime, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. OBJ’s ankle has also progressed well, so he should be on track for another monster season in 2018.
Meanwhile, not everyone is sold that Beckham will be staying in New York. The Giants could still be persuaded to move OBJ, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears, though their asking price could be a barrier to a deal. The Rams are no longer in the mix for OBJ after acquiring Brandin Cooks from the Patriots, but he speculates that a team such as the 49ers could put together a strong offer. Other teams will be wary of Beckham’s desire for a new $100MM+ contract, but the Niners have the cap room to accommodate any such deal and also possess the draft capital to make an enticing offer to the Giants.
The Patriots, in theory, also have the firepower to put together a package for Beckham, but they are not interested in such a move.
Giants, Manning Haven't Discussed Future
- Eli Manning said he has not discussed his future with the Giants. “No,” Manning said when asked about whether the big looming conversation has taken place, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. “This league, it’s one year at a time. That’s kind of how it goes. I need to go out there and play well this year, and that’s all I’m looking forward to.” Manning is slated to count for $22.2MM against the Giants’ cap this year and $23.2MM in 2019, the final year of his contract. The Giants can get out of that last season and save $17MM, however. The Giants are widely believed to be targeting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft and the success of that rookie may dictate their course of action with Manning.
Giants Not Interested In Josh Rosen?
The Giants are doing their due diligence with the top quarterbacks in the draft, and that included a Josh Rosen summit on Monday, per Peter King of SI.com. However, they may not be that interested in the UCLA alum. An NFL scout continued the building Sam Darnold/Giants buzz by indicating he’s the Los Angeles-based quarterback the team wants, rather than Rosen.
This follows DraftAnalyst.com reporter Tony Pauline’s assessment of the Giants only being particularly interested in Darnold, among the quarterbacks, and more anonymous execs saying Darnold would be the Giants’ choice at No. 2 if he slipped past the Browns. If Darnold is unavailable, a Bradley Chubb–Saquon Barkley debate will transpire, the evaluator said, via Lombardo.
Seven teams have appeared on Rosen’s itinerary, and he will be on the east coast for much of this week. His Jets summit is set for Tuesday, with the Bills powwow occurring Wednesday, King reports. He’ll meet with the Chargers in a non-30 visit later this week. Longtime NFL exec-turned-analyst Gil Brandt rated the UCLA passer as his No. 1 quarterback in the draft, but it now looks like both the Browns — connected mostly to Darnold and Josh Allen — and the Giants will pass on him.
Ereck Flowers' No-Show Surprises Giants
Ereck Flowers has not lived up to expectations since being a 2015 first-round pick, but the Giants are planning to move him to his initial NFL position. Flowers is set to shift to right tackle, where he was in his first NFL offseason before a Will Beatty injury moved him to the left side — where he played for three seasons — but meetings between Flowers and the Giants will have to wait. Flowers was the team’s only no-show for Day 1 of the Pat Shurmur regime, per Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com (on Twitter). These workouts are voluntary, but considering Flowers was the only no-show, this is notable. The Giants were not briefed about a Flowers absence, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. The Giants had issues with Flowers’ attitude last season, and it’s reasonable the team will pass on his fifth-year option. Dave Gettleman has made it clear at about every turn this offseason he wanted to overhaul the Giants’ offensive line, and Flowers being a first-round pick in the Jerry Reese era might not grant him much leeway anymore.
- With the Browns likely taking a quarterback at No. 1, the Giants are going to have their pick of the other sought-after members of this passer class and the best non-QB in the draft. However, how the Browns proceed may affect the Giants’ desire to invest their No. 2 overall pick in an Eli Manning successor. Sam Darnold is the only quarterback the Giants are believed to covet, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com writes. A previous report indicated the Giants would not be expected to pass on Darnold if he’s there.
- If the Browns take the USC-honed QB, they may either be open for business at 2 or be ready to pull the trigger on Bradley Chubb. Chubb/Giants chatter has increased in recent days, per James Palmer of NFL.com (video link). James Bettcher said Chubb’s past in a 4-3 set would not preclude the Giants from plugging him into their new 3-4 alignment, even though the N.C. State edge defender is a bit large for a typical outside linebacker.
Giants C Brett Jones Signs RFA Tender
Giants center Brett Jones has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, the club announced today. Jones will now be paid $2.941MM for the 2018 season.
Jones was one of 14 NFL restricted free agents to be tender at the second-round level, and he’s the sixth — following Falcons guard Ben Garland, Jaguars running back Corey Grant, Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman, and Jets receiver Quincy Enunwa, and Steelers kicker Chris Boswell — to officially sign his tender. There was no rush for Jones to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 20 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was always unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Jones.
New York didn’t make an attempt to re-sign free agent Weston Richburg, meaning Jones will be the club’s starting center in 2018. He should be well-equipped for the role, as the 26-year-old started 13 games in place of the injured Richburg a season ago. Jones, who joined the Giants in 2015 after spending time in the Canadian Football League, graded as the NFL’s No. 18 center among 37 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Mayfield, Barkley Visits Set For Monday
- Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield dined with Giants brass on Sunday night and both will spend Monday meeting with the team’s coaching staff and front office personnel, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Both the Penn State running back and Oklahoma quarterback are among a high-profile contingent traveling to the Big Apple, joining Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen in that regard. Schwartz no longer expects the team to draft a quarterback at No. 2, which would put Barkley and Bradley Chubb in play there. A trade-down scenario for Quenton Nelson may also be under consideration.
- Odell Beckham Jr. taking the step of pledging he’ll attend Day 1 of the Giants’ offseason program is important for the parties’ potential long-term agreement, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes. But Vacchiano adds Beckham’s gesture may be a symbolic one, with the superstar wideout possibly opting to work out in Los Angeles soon. He’s still recovering from a fractured ankle and remains without a timetable for a field return.
Odell Beckham Jr. To Report To Giants
In the midst of trade talk, in the wake of a video that could get him into some hot water, and coming off a 2017 season largely ruined by an ankle injury, Odell Beckham Jr. will be at the Giants’ facility tomorrow for the first day of the team’s offseason conditioning program, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Per Anderson, Beckham wants to “check in, work out in the gym, and meet with some people.”
Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says that Beckham, who is scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to New Jersey later today, wants to make a goodwill gesture. Big Blue is trying to reshape its culture under new head coach Pat Shurmur and new GM Dave Gettleman, and Beckham’s presence will allow the team to take a look at his ankle and will allow him to show that he is buying in to the team’s culture. Shurmur said last month that he expected the star wideout to be present for the offseason program, which is voluntary and which Beckham was not present for last year.
It is in Beckham’s best interests, of course, to be a good soldier at this point. Even after the disappointment of 2017, he could still land a massive contract with up to $60MM in guaranteed money, but the team has never entered into serious negotiations with him. Now, as he is set to play out the 2018 season under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract (for a “modest” $8.5MM), it’s time for the Giants to make a decision about Beckham’s long-term future in New York.
We heard yesterday that the Giants are unlikely to trade the former first-round pick unless they are blown away by an offer, and it is clear they want to keep him in the fold. But they want to see him grow up a bit, and perhaps his attendance at the offseason program is one way of showing his willingness to do that. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that Beckham is mostly reporting tomorrow for a medical check, and that he will not be back for “a long while” without a new contract in hand. Similarly, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that it is unknown how long Beckham will stay. We will have to wait and see, then, what Beckham’s intentions are.